FAQ

What is the Fourth Industrial Revolution?

The term “Fourth Industrial Revolution” was coined by Klaus Schwab,
the Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum.

He wrote in his book of the same name that this coming era, what he
called the fourth industrial revolution, is fundamentally different than
the previous three. These were the use of water and steam power to
mechanize production, the use of electric power to create mass
production, and the advent of electronics and information technology to
automate production. This new industrial revolution, he argues, will
happen at an exponential pace and the new technologies that will be
introduced will change society in unpredictable ways.

What is the Internet of Things (IOT)?

The Internet of Things refers to the rapidly expanding collection of
devices that collect, transmit and share data via the internet.

What is Artificial Intelligence?

Artificial intelligence (AI) makes it possible for machines to learn
from experience, adjust to new inputs and perform human-like tasks. Most
AI examples that you hear about today – from chess-playing computers to
self-driving cars – rely heavily on deep learning and natural language
processing. Using these technologies, computers can be trained to
accomplish specific tasks by processing large amounts of data and
recognizing patterns in the data. (source:
https://www.sas.com/en_us/insights/analytics/what-is-artificial-intelligence.html)

Why is Low Latency Important?

Low latency means reduced delay in the delivery of data. For
connected devices a quicker response means a seamless experience for the
user. Many emerging technologies, like virtual reality, remote surgery,
and self-driving vehicles, will depend on near-instantaneous response
times.

What’s the Difference Between 4G and 5G?

5G is a transformational change from 4G. 5G has the potential to
provide 20X faster data speeds and carry a massive amount of data for a
large number of simultaneous users. So users in high density areas –
like airports, stadiums or urban areas – can still experience the fast
speeds and low latency of 5G service. As Americans replace more and more
household items with ‘smart devices’ that connect to the internet, also
known as the Internet of Things, this network capacity will be
critical. 5G will potentially be able to handle more than 2.5 million
connected devices per square mile.

What’s a “Smart City” and How Will 5G Impact My Community?

Communities that tap into the power of 5G connectivity will be able
to transform how people live, learn, work and play in countless ways,
driving improvements across transit, utilities, public Wi-Fi access,
emergency preparedness and beyond. From smart traffic lights that cut
congestion to smart buildings that save energy, 5G will open nearly
limitless opportunities for innovation.

How Does 5G Work?

The same way garage door openers, TVs, baby monitors and every past
generation of wireless have all worked — with radiofrequency (RF) waves.
5G uses a dense network of “small cell” antennas about the size of a
backpack. Designed to blend into the environment, these 5G antennas hide
in plain sight on things you never notice — like utility poles and
street lamps.

Are All of Those 5G Antennas a Health Concern?

All equipment used for 5G must comply with federal safety standards.
Those standards have wide safety margins and are designed to protect
everyone, including children. Everyday exposure to the radio frequency
energy from 5G small cells will be well within those safety limits, and
is comparable to exposure from products such as baby monitors, Wi-Fi
routers, and Bluetooth devices.

Interested in Becoming a Community Partner?

The Fourth Industrial Revolution may be one of the most important conversations of our time.

Help bring next-generation technologies to the US by becoming a US Tech Community partner.

US Tech Future is a Verizon-led community-focused initiative working to engage the local community in a discussion about technology and how it can improve the lives of local residents for their benefit and the benefit of the community as a whole.

Our mission is to engage with citizens and community stakeholders in USA to provide information on how technology can work to have a dramatic impact on the way we work and live in our communities.